GameInformer unveils XCOM: Enemy Unknown is the cover story of the next issue of their print magazine, revealing Firaxis is at work on a true continuation of the beloved strategy series, as opposed to the X-COM-based first-person shooter that's also now in the works (thanks briktal). They say the game is due for Windows PC, Xbox 360, and PlayStation 3, this fall, and while they are withholding "gory details of XCOM's destructible tactical environments, the interaction between the real-time strategic view and the turn-based combat, how the XCOM organization improves its capabilities as the war rages on, and much more," from the magazine, they do offer a bit on the game:

Unlike 2K Marin's previously announced XCOM shooter, which sparked tempers among longtime fans for turning its back on the series' cerebral roots, this title is a full-on strategy game that puts players in command of a global anti-alien defense force. XCOM's leader needs a worldwide perspective where threats are identified, populations reassured, and national leaders mollified – but a tactical mind is just as critical considering every shot XCOM's soldiers fire on the battlefield is under the player's turn-based control.

"It’s been a dream of ours to recreate X-COM with our unique creative vision. We’re huge fans of the original game and it’s a once in a lifetime opportunity to re-envision a game that is as beloved as X-COM," said Steve Martin, president of Firaxis Games. "We were careful to keep XCOM: Enemy Unknown true to the elements that made X-COM such a revered game while delivering an entirely new story and gameplay experience for both die-hard X-COM fans and newcomers to the franchise."

Des wrote on Jan 6, 2012, 04:09:This is great news. I adored the original games, and I think remakes should keep as close to the format of the originals as possible IMHO.

Now all I want is a studio to do this very same thing with Syndicate. We are gerting some FPS shit remake, now we need the real top down perspective remake! Please please please....

While others say Syndicate's action/strategy slant lends itself better to a FPS, I agree with you that a true remake would keep the same perspective as the original. That's not to say I'm not interested in the new one, but I'd rather have a true remake.

“The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated.” - Mahatma Gandhi

After Civ V my expectation for this new X-com is far less than it should be. Civ V left a bitter taste in my mouth, I put it as the worst Civ in the series. If it's the same guys doing the new X-com then I won't be as excited for this as I should be.

Every attempt to "recreate" or "re-imagine" X-Com has been done by developers who all claimed to be "huge fans of the original game", and every attempt has sucked, imho. I don't know why developers are so thick-headed as to think they can change so much about a beloved, classic PC game and expect it to be received well by gamers who have largely only been asking for "X-Com with updated graphics". Why do you need to fucking "recreate" it? We want "X-Com with updated graphics". If you change the gameplay and/or genre, then it's "Something Else with updated graphics". Why is that so hard to understand?

I was excited (again) that someone was making another X-Com game, but disappointed to see it will be yet another console port. I have yet to see a PC game that wasn't less (or MUCH less) than it could/should have been due to concessions made for the console version, and I have no doubt this will be any different. I really hope I'm wrong, but I'm not falling for the hype this time.

UFO Afterlight was pretty good, but it wasn't X-COM. I'd have rated it higher than Jag (I guess a 6/8 on his goofy scale! :)) but that's me. It's biggest downside for this X-COM fanatic is that it's just enough like X-COM beg comparison, and it isn't favorable to Afterlight in most respects. Still, a good game in its own right that needed to rip off X-COM even more.

“The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated.” - Mahatma Gandhi